China, US move toward cooperation in space

WASHINGTON (AFP) - China - which until now has worked alone as it pursues an ambitious space programme - seems more open to international cooperation, especially with the United States (US), European and American experts say.

"There is a change in the Chinese attitude, with a call for cooperation in space. And Americans aren't reticent - on the contrary," said Mr Jean-Yves Le Gall, head of the French space agency CNES.

Mr Le Gall spoke on Thursday as he left a meeting in Washington of high-level envoys from 30 space-faring nations discussing ways to pool efforts to explore the stars. The conference continued Friday with space agency chiefs.

The space race started as an intense Cold War competition between the US and the former Soviet Union.